RPLOG: Gavin Shai: Guinea Pig
Having some trumped up charge thrown at him and being hauled away from the starport by a squad of Stormtroopers...well sadly that still counted as a decent day for Shai. He'd not really seen anyone since he'd been left in his cell. It would seem that he'd pushed the local garrison a little too far and they wanted him to cool off. Somehow he'd managed to actually sleep last night without much trouble, but the lesson in humility must've taken because since being left in his cell he'd also made no fuss, and hadn't said so much as a word. Currently he is sitting on what most would consider a rather uncomfortable cot, not seeming to mind his accommodations in the least. The door whooshes open to reveal two troopers standing guard... And the same leggy Balosar from the starport yesterday. Taking a moment to peer inside, Laya steps down into the cell and folds her hands before her, her lips curving up into a sympathetic smile. "Mr. Shai," she says softly. Her Coruscanti voice is warm and smooth like milk and honey, and she has a kind twinkle in her eyes. "You've been having a bit of a rough time here, haven't you?" she asks. Well this wasn't exactly what he'd expected, no the Balosar was about as far from the burly grunt he'd expected as one could imagine. For a long moment Gavin doesn't speak just taking in the woman before him. "You've been listening to too many stories around the caff dispenser, it would seem." He finally says, adjusting his posture to face her directly, a smile coming to his lips. "And it would seem you have me at a disadvantage, Miss...?" "Ambassador Dar'Eboros," the woman responds smoothly as she moves to the opposing cot. "But you may call me Laya while it's just us," she says with a secretive smile and wink. She takes a seat and motions for Gavin to get comfortable. "They were going to send you to the work camps," she says quietly, her expression sobering. "But... I wondered if we might could have a little talk and perhaps avoid that. After all, we've really no need at all to send -everyone- in the Galaxy there just because the data pushers are giving someone else a headache." This check was done to establish Laya's character's ability (via her Balosar antennae palps) to listen to Gavin's emotional state throughout the scene STATS: Laya checks her Search skill and modifies it by 1D+0. The results are: 1 6 5 3 5 6. The wild die is: 5. The total is: 31 Sensed by Laya through the aforementioned skill(eventually it was decided these glimpses would just be integrated into the poses) Mostly Gavin is apprehensive that an Imperial base would send a pretty woman to see him in his cell, especially one not attached to the military. Also there's a general irritation but he's trying to hide it. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Ambassador." Gavin states, declining her offer to call her by first name. "As to the Empire's problem with the work camps, well, I'd had a solution at the ready for that weeks ago. Those same data pushers, decided to drown the proposal in so much bureaucratic red tape that it never went anywhere. No doubt you've been forced to grow accustomed to jumping their hoops in your work." After a short pause he continues in another direction, "But you came here to rescue me? Very interesting considering we've not met that I can recall. That makes me curious about just what exactly those stories around the caff dispensers have to say about me. What makes me worth saving Ambassador?" Laya's eyes twinkle all the more merrily. And she shakes her head. "Oh, you are mistaken, Mr. Shai," she says softly. "I can't save you. Not really. But... I've recommended an alternate outcome. No need for you to spend years in suffering or anything like that. You see, I could use your help. There's a couple issues that I could really use a fresh perspective on." Her smile brightens. "And in return, I can convince the higher-ups to spare you the mines." She stands up and extends her hand. "So what do you say? Will you help me out?" So that was what this was about, someone needed to explain to the Empire that there were other ways of asking for help. "Perhaps. Why don't you tell me what it is you need my help with and I'll decide if I prefer helping or the work camps." Though he offers a soft smile after saying so, the matter-of-factness with which he says the words leave it questionable whether he was joking or not. "What is it you need my help with Ambassador?" Sensed by Laya Gavin seems more at ease now, having developed the impression that the threats of work camps and mines may not be genuine and that the whole ordeal may just be a ruse to secure his willing assistance with whatever job she has in mind. Laya laughs and shakes her head. Her nose wrinkles a little when she giggles. "Relax, Mr. Shai, I'm not threatening you to extort information. I'm simply asking for your help. I want to understand what your concerns are with the bureaucracy of the Empire are, with the Army and Navy, and the government. See, you represent a unique group of Imperial citizenry to me: the non-violent questioners. You're not a radical, you're not a Rebel, you're not out to overthrow the government." She smiles sympathetically. "You just want things to run a little bit more smoothly." She extends her hand again. "I'd like to ask you some questions and just get your feedback. Get to learn what's on your mind and how you'd like to see things change. I'm considering putting in a proposal for some dramatic policy shifts... And I could -really- use your help. It's just a couple rooms over... You could stretch your legs some, get the blood flowing." The man erupts in laughter. It takes a moment for him to compose himself again. "Ambassador, I'm afraid somewhere along the lines you've gotten the wrong idea about me." He pauses figuring out how he can explain this. "Ambassador the only reason you've got any example of me being a non-violent questioner is because I wanted to inconvenience those data pushers because they inconvenienced me. There is no grand plan to change the Empire, just a little petty payback for them rubbing me the wrong way. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding." Laya grins impishly. "You say potayto, I say potahto, Mr. Shai." She motions with her hand for him to rise. "Come along. I know you have no reason to help me, but still... It's just some questions. What can it hurt?" Should he come, she'll lead him out of the cell and down a few doors to an interrogation/interview room. Her hand lifts, enters the code, and the door slides open. As she had said, what could it hurt. "Well Ambassador, I've got to admit you're certainly persuasive." With that Gavin rises, and follows her. "And call me Gavin, everyone does." When the door swooshes open, the sight inside may strike one as odd, perhaps a bit unsettling. There is a rather large chair, with all manner of appendages sticking out of it. Diodes, needles, blades, and electrodes, in an assortment that is by itself frightening. Standing to the side of the contraption is an armored man; the dark and brooding Korynn Fleming. Two Stormtroopers stand at either edge of the door just inside the cell, and as it opens, one of them immediately throws out the butt of his rifle, seeking to strike Gavin in his gut and throw him off guard. "Welcome, Mister Shai." The baritone, thickly Coruscanti voice belongs to The Loyalist, Korynn Fleming. While Laya seems hardly unsurprised at the sight of Korynn or the stormtroopers, though her lips purse faintly at the sight of the chair. One all the butt-throwing has been dealt with, she enters the room with a shake of her head and a sigh. Behind her and Gavin, the two troopers from outside of his cell block any attempt to escape. Laya walks straight up to the chair and around it, trailing her fingers over it idly. "A bit dramatic, Director Fleming, don't you think?" her nose wrinkling slightly in distaste. The butt of the rifle hits its mark and knocks the wind from Shai as he enters the room. Thrown off guard it takes a moment for Gavin to realize what has happened. First there was the pretty Ambassador he'd been suspicious of and followed anyway, and now there was a cheap shot to the gut, an ISB interrogation chair, which unfortunately he recognizes as such, and the infamous Korynn Fleming. With only a moment's pause to regain his composure, Gavin responds, his voice sounding winded. "Director, please, call me Gavin." It was a fair attempt to maintain a cordial tone, but it still falls short. Korynn looks toward Laya, and provides her with a most disdainful look. "Dramatic?" he asks, as if in disbelief. Then, he shoves a hand toward the device and barks, "Put him into the bloody device!" While the Stormtroopers move to manhandle Gavin toward the torture chair, Korynn turns and walks toward Laya. "This is the troublemaker you told me about, Ambassador?" asks Korynn. He shifts his brooding eyes toward Gavin, scowling. "And he dares to think he can address me without being first /told/ he has that right." He narrows his eyes. "This will change, I assure you." "This is the one I pointed out yesterday, yes," Laya responds lightly. Something cool finally touches her smile and she tilts her head as the troopers move to Gavin. "I -do- need him able to talk, Director," she says quietly. "I do hope you won't mind my staying with you and keeping a close-eyed, hands on observation? With your permission, of course." There's something wry in her tone. She looks back at Gavin and smiles encouragingly. "Don't worry," she says soothingly. "I'll stay with you and make sure this is as swift as possible." Flemings reputation was well earned it would seem, Gavin finds himself thinking as he's strapped to the interrogation chair. Still even though Gavin knew that he really should just not speak for fear of invoking Flemings' wrath, he just can't find it in him to check his stubbornness and follow such sage advice. "I've always dared more than was wise Director. Otherwise why would we be here?" His mind starts racing through all the possible reasons for him to be in an ISB interrogation, especially one with the likes of Fleming himself...random chance isn't amongst the list, funny that. "Given your reputation I doubt I could just cooperate and tell you whatever you want to know." Somehow even though he'd meant it to be, Gavin can't make the phrase come across as a question. Korynn studies Laya for a moment. "About what?" he answers, and turns to look at Gavin as the prisoner speaks. Silence follows, within which Korynn's thinly pressed lips curve into a vicious smirk. He walks over toward Gavin, once the Stormtroopers have him firmly strapped in. He walks around behind the chair and toward Gavin's other side, then reaches with a gloved hand to gently brush the human's cheek. "You see, Gavin... I don't have any interest in what you have to /say/." His lips curl even more, showing a glimpse of white teeth. He pats the prisoner's cheek with the backside of his hand twice. Turning, Korynn walks back toward Laya, and his expression darkens. "Ambassador. While I fully well understand this 'good cop, bad cop' routine, it is a novice approach, played out by recruits who rarely amount to anything worthwhile in the Empire." He narrows his eyes at the woman, in full view of Gavin of course. "You must prove that you have a spine, here and now." He gestures toward the prisoner. "You'll find the controls to be most efficient." He turns away, folding arms over armored chest, and smirking wryly. After taking a few steps away, he pivots about to watch Laya's response. Laya's lips slowly and slowly curl upward millimeter by millimeter as Korynn addresses her. Her eyes begin to twinkle until she bursts out laughing merrily and throws her hands in the air. "Alright, alright, Director. You are correct. I really am bad at this little facade." Her voice is almost a purr and she sashays over Gavin's side. She flicks him a falsely sympathetic wince and then... She manages a wicked little grin. She leans forward and down, getting right up in the man's face. She lightly grasps his chin and presses a long, bruising kiss to his lips... And she backs up an inch and flicks a switch, peering into his eyes as electricity suddenly courses through Gavin's body." Somehow Gavin doesn't seem intimidated by Flemings' words or actions, rather he seems to be steeling himself for what is to follow. Korynn was better at it than pretty much everyone who'd had Shai in a similar position, but this was not the first and likely not the last time Gavin would find himself here. Strangely however he seems to grow a bit more nervous as it is revealed that Korynn would not be the one in control of the chair. Instead it would be the pretty little Ambassador, an amateur, and amateurs were the ones who made mistakes where people got maimed, got killed, by accident. At least if Fleming had been torturing him, Gavin could be assured whatever happened was meant to happen and not a lack of experience. He doesn't have too much time to dwell on those thoughts before the Ambassador's sweet lips are upon his. She was going to enjoy this, the torture he would endure would be something sensual to her. That wasn't a comforting thing to know, and a glimmering of fear might be sensed from Shai in the moment between their lips parting and his body surging with electricity. His body contorts in the chair a combination of the pain and his nerve receptors falsely following the current. The man writhes, knowing the uncomfortable truth that no matter what the Director and Ambassador wanted, this would continue until the woman had her lust satiated. When Laya kisses Gavin, a perversely humored smirk draws across his face. The sounds of electrical current and the writhing of Gavin's body drowns out the quiet laughter that rumbles in his chest. He walks toward Laya then, motioning toward a small medical display on the front of the device. "Now, you'll want to monitor heartbeat and brainwave activity," he points out. "You don't want to push him into cardiac arrest, nor do you want to permanently damage his synaptic patterns. Now should suffice." He folds his arms again, as if expecting Laya to cut off the current. "Of course, the use of psychotropic drugs and other sensory-enhancing medicines can serve a great deal when you wish to... 'push' the subject beyond where normal human capacities end. And, of course, when you're dealing with other species, such as yourself... it's imperative to understand the physiological and psychological limits." He speaks much more like a professor, and his intentional ignoring of Gavin has the perceived affect of considering him no greater than that of a lab rat. The electrical current is low on the settings. It would seem that Laya is more curious than bloodlusty. She watches the lines and nods as it's explained, shutting off the chair when suggested. She smiles almost... motheringly.. and gently caresses Gavin's cheek with fingertips softer than silk. "There now," she asks quietly. "How did that feel?" Gavin slumps in the chair as the current is shut off. When the Ambassador asks how the torture felt, he doesn't answer, instead just glaring daggers at the woman. The venom in his eyes is unmistakable, the unspoken message of 'Just do whatever you're going to do, get it over with' hanging in the air. Korynn perks an eyebrow, and cocks his head. "Ah. Now this is a common response. See, there is strength in the subject's expression. It will take some time to wear him down, until he is eating from your hand, so to speak. I will show you." Hours pass. Korynn is like a vicious little insect, how he guides Laya through the ropes. Intravenous feeding, so that Gavin does not pass out. The clever introduction of stimulants, the timing of pain administration, the way to force a prisoner to drink and swallow water when he'd do nothing more but spit it out. Four hours have now passed, requiring far more stamina from the prisoner than it would the interrogators, and four hours of hard, grueling work is enough to wear down even them. Regardless, Korynn seems no worse for the wear... having spent far, far more time with subjects in the past. The sounds of electricity shut down, but the room is now filled with the stink of blood, sweat, and probably even a bit of urine... after all, there's only so much the body can take before certain muscles just stop working. Korynn paces around the room until its finished, hands clasped behind his back. He turns toward Laya, studying her as she works. As for Laya, her white dress is surprisingly immaculate. If nothing else, she is neat... She finally looks up at Korynn and smiles, something free and unfettered and sickeningly normal. Laya seems to excel in more 'hands-on' approaches, preferring to get her hands dirty and use the chair in between. She seems to take genuine delight in the act. The response is secondary... And if Korynn is a vicious insect, then -she- is like an evil kitten, playing with her food before she eats it. Currently, she's stitching a few prongs into the man's chest. The prongs burrow into the skin, causing awful burns when the electricity is on... And weights can be attached to them. When she's finished, she suddenly grins and just pierces Gavin's ear a couple of time, just for fun. "You know, Director Fleming," she drawls idly... "I noticed a particular wooden box on the side." She flicks those blue-green eyes in the man's direction. "Could you show me how to use -that-?" This check was done to establish the ability to keep Gavin alive during what follows STATS: Korynn checks his Medicine skill. The results are: 2 3 6 2 1 The wild die is: 6 2 (Lucky: +8) The total is: 22 (Very Difficult) Somewhere in the back of his mind Gavin still had some semblance of control, which was good because nowhere but that hidden corner of his mind could he claim such. He'd been poked and prodded and electrocuted and worse. Somewhere along the way he'd lost control over basic body functions, such as bladder control. His bare chest was caked with sweat and blood and if it weren't for the smell of burnt hair drowning out everything else, the man must smell utterly dreadful. Still he was alive, he'd eventually recover from all that had been done to him. That was a small victory and the man held onto it. Gavin held onto it so tightly in fact that a small curl comes to his lip, well to the side that wasn't swollen and busted, and he lets out a quiet groan wondering what the pair had planned next. All he had to do was survive, that was how he'd beat them. Korynn fixes Laya with a most severe look. Silence lingers for a long time... a good half a minute, as he stares at her. Finally, he turns around, his eyes narrowed. "As you wish. Run and fetch me surgical field gear from the infirmary." He walks slowly then, retrieving an ancient wooden box from a corner of the room. The sound of latches coming undone is audible, but whatever is held inside does not reveal itself until Laya has returned. With the portable field surgical unit here, Korynn is able to clean and disinfect his hands, after stripping the gloves free. He covers them with white surgical gloves, and then reaches into the box to retrieve a most frightening device. Made of some barely remembered metal alloy, the silvery instrument inside the box is etched with many runes and script in an old language. The instrument has several sharp blades and clamps. He brings it over so that Gavin might have a good look at it. Then, Korynn settles it down and retrieves a hypospray. Choosing a particular vial, he inserts it into the spray, and hands it to Laya. "The carotid artery. It is a neural stimulant... it will force his mind and body to remain conscious." Korynn retrieves a pair of eye-clamps then. These devices clamp the eyes open, while also providing a saline lubricating drip. Without remorse, Korynn affixes them to Gavin's eyes, prying them open so that the man will have no choice but to see every horrific moment of what is about to happen to him. Laya nods once and walks from the room with a poise that belies her eagerness. It isn't too long before she returns and helps Korynn 'scrub up'. But... She keeps a bit of distance, pulling a high-top stool-chair over so that she can watch without being in the way. She almost doesn't blink. "Will you tell me everything?" she asks quietly. Her eyes flick to Korynn and then back to Gavin's chest. "And this one, I'm told, is just a spare. He was slated for the work mines when you tagged him for my practice. The PR and the ST command say they don't care if he dies..." She speaks with such calm, even as her hand is gently stroking Gavin's own strapped down version. "Do you think it will work?" she asks in a whisper, eyes wide as she watches. Somehow throughout everything Gavin has not lost his ability to fear what's coming next, to imagine for a split second what will come next before the duo unleash it upon him. As his eyes are forced open, and scattered pieces of the conversation between his hosts, a fresh wave of that unbridled fear washes over him. The deep seeded strength of will telling him all he had to do was survive grows quieter and he finds himself overwhelmed. For the first time in hours, tears once again flow freely from his eyes, no doubt the saline drip was taking over his over-exerted and drained tear ducts. This time it was different, the tears flowing this time were not from the pain, but now out of fear that perhaps they would continue until that voice in the back of his mind quit urging him to live through it. Forced to stare wide eyed as he was made to endure more, the voice seems so far away, like an echo within his mind. Gavin wasn't sure that voice was still calling out, what if it had been silenced and all that remained was that hollow echo? What if this was the end? The briefest of grins tugs at Korynn's lips. "We shall see." Without further adieu, Korynn begins. It starts with the slice of a scalpel down the center of Gavin's chest. Then, he produces a set of rib-spreaders, which crack the human's ribcage open with a gut-wrenching noise. He works deftly, of course, making sure to vacate the opening with suction and inserting small pads that will both soak up excess blood and stop the collection of more fluids. Without anesthetic, the human mind would have shut down by now. But modern science has afforded the Empire some particularly dastardly tools, and the neuro-stimulant that now courses through Gavin's blood keeps him quite awake, quite lucid... and quite capable of enduring the sheer physical and psychological pain that no human being should ever be made to suffer. Throughout the procedure, Korynn describes his work in detail to Laya. Once Gavin's heart is exposed, he retrieves the silver device, staining it's beauty with blood from the prisoner's chest hole. Then, with utter focus, Korynn begins cutting Gavin's primary arteries and veins, using the clamps, and affixing thick surgical tubes to the aforementioned clamps. The device comes to life with an unnerving sound that mixes a low hum of power with the quick, gyrating chatter of crude mechanics. Korynn reaches into Gavin's chest cavity, his lips parting in utter awe... and with his own two hands, he removes Gavin's heart. It pumps wildly against his fingers, sending blood through the tubes and into the device that now frames the cavity, keeping Gavin alive so long as it is operational. Wide-eyed, Korynn raises the organ into the prisoner's line of sight, so that he might be forced to look upon it with fear and trembling. Laya prove to be an apt pupil, nodding and asking questions as Korynn works steady. Perhaps oddly, she keeps petting Gavin's hand in a just as strangely reassuring manner. It's a cruel mixed signal to send to an already overwhelmed brain. But eventually, her hand stops. Her eyes widen as the heart is removed. Her jaw drops open. And all she can do is half-whisper. "Awesome." It was true, the neuro-stimulant was a second wind of sorts, except for the fact that after 4 hours of enduring their efforts it could hardly be called a second wind anymore, there had been several such "second winds", however this one was different. The clarity of thought, that returns to Gavin as his heart is painstakingly removed is unlike anything they had subjected him to up to this point. The echo of hope within him dies, strength of will had failed him, he no longer wanted to live just to survive. No as the heart comes into view and Gavin realizes fully that short of killing him there was little more he could do, a new emotion flashes to mind, replacing the hope, the strength of will. Even the fear pales in comparison as hatred envelopes Gavin. He hated the two before him more purely than he had ever hated anything in his life. That hate sustains him now, gives him the strength to carry on. Just as his heart now pumps within Korynn's hands so too does the hate course through him, and worst of all, he likes it. Again the half curl of an attempted smile crosses his features, but it is darker now, much more sinister. Staring at his own heart, held so delicately in Korynn's hand, Gavin wants nothing more than to reverse the situation, to hold their lives in his hands, to squash them like bugs, as the Director could do to him right now. He realizes however that Fleming literally has left him no choice but to agree or die. He nods to the man, struggling to voice his agreement to the terms. He makes out the word "Yes." but his hate has bred too much defiance in him, and despite his situation he still manages to cough out in a hoarse voice, "But...call...me...Gavin." Fade to Black... Behind the scenes Gavin is put back together, and patched up.